Op/Ed

Florida's Hard Choices After Mega-Storm

Hurricane Irma rammed home the point that Floridians
need leaders to provide more than a mop to deal with the
damage and misery these mega-storms bring.

We just got overwhelmed by a natural disaster that
showed again how vulnerable we are. Climate change –
yes, deniers, it is real – will likely bring more storms
the size of Irma, or maybe larger.

Ponder that.

Oh, people will clean up from the most powerful storm
to hit Florida in a quarter century. There will be
investigations into the nursing home tragedy in
Hollywood Hills. Some places might enact tougher
building codes and things like that.

“Built in the early 1970s, the aging plant depends on
similar vulnerable backup systems to prevent a meltdown
as those of Japan’s Fukushima plant, which is still
leaking radiation.”

Washington needs to get in the game too. President
Trump’s proposed budget called for a 16 percent cut at
NOAA, an agency that proved to be kind of valuable in
providing early and detailed warnings about Irma and
other storms.

Add it up.

Millions of displaced residents. Billions in damages.
Florida’s emergency response both before and after the
storm was exemplary, but people deserve more to help
mitigate these storms long before they arrive.

We can’t stop them, but better policies going forward
might help limit the damage. That will require some hard
decisions in Tallahassee starting now. Think they’re up
to it?

---------------

Joe Henderson had a 45-year career in
newspapers, including the last nearly 42 years at The
Tampa Tribune. Mr. Henderson has numerous local, state and
national writing awards. He has been married to his
wife, Elaine, for nearly 35 years, and has two grown
sons.
Column courtesy of Florida Politics.

This piece was reprinted by the Columbia County Observer
with permission or license.